Interview by Warren Mayocchi
Lyria is a symphonic alternative heavy metal band from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The band’s debut album, “Catharsis” was released in September 2014 via a crowdfunding effort and has been acclaimed by many. Here’s what singer Aline Happ told us their debut!
Hi Aline, welcome to Femme Metal Webzine. To begin will you please introduce the band members and give us the story of how Lyria formed?
Hello! Thanks for the interview! So, Lyria is me (Aline), Thiago Zig on bass and Eliezer Andre on drums. We have a guitar player, Bruno Cardoso, since the end of 2014 for the concerts. The band was founded by me in 2012 and the guys came in 2013. I have always wanted to have a professional band. It starts as a cover band and soon I was thinking about our own songs.
When I first read your crowdfunding appeal, I was intrigued by the line, “We would like to ask for your help, if you believe that music can change the world, heal people’s scars and make us happier.” Please tell us more about this, it sounds as though there is a story to tell?
We really believe that music can change lives for better. It has the ability to affect our feelings on a very unique way. It can comfort, accompany, help to heal scars, etc. So, we want to pass good messages to people and make their lives and our lives better. I receive some feedback about how our songs make people feel good and how them help to overcome bad moments, for instance. And this is amazing!
You had an online acoustic concert on the 4th September 2015. In fact all along you have used a social business model to produce and promote your album. Will you tell us the challenges and what is great about the approach you have taken?
This concert was pretty cool. We received a lot of good feedback and it means a lot to us. It is awesome how internet can help us to connect to our fans and to deliver and spread our work. So, the best thing about this model is this connection: it looks like we are walking all together. The album production, the online stuff, the web concerts, all of this is just possible because of this synergy. And this model is the way we found to overcome the physical barriers. The main challenges are related to the immensity of contents on internet. It is really hard to get noticed in this ocean of information. Sometimes our stuff doesn’t come to many people, even to the ones that follow us. Another point is that a lot of people don’t search for new things. But, people are discovering us day by day and this is great. And when someone talks about us, shares something about us, it helps to promote the band.
Of course you are also active in your local area, playing live venues regularly. Is there much demand for this type of music in Brazil? Please tell us about the local scene and the fans?
There isn’t. This is far from the current Brazilian music styles. I believe there is some kind of prejudice with our genre; however it is getting a little better at the moment. When we play in the venues people like it, they came to us to talk and get merchandising. Many of them are going regularly to the concerts, but it is not easy because we don’t have a huge promotion of the events and there are many events on the same day.
Your first album is called “Catharsis” and will soon have been out for 1 year. Tell us more about the music? What is your inspiration in song writing? Has your opinion on any of the songs changed in the last year?
Our music was made with truth. Life inspires me, daily situations, something I’ve seen or I’ve experienced in some way. And no, they didn’t change.
What are the most popular songs from the album with your fans? What about each band member – do you all have a favorite track? If you do, please tell us why?
This is complicated because people have different favorite songs and they say that like the full album, what is amazing for us this. Maybe “Jester” is the “chosen one” because of the music video. Zig prefers “The True War” because the instrumental was his idea and Eliezer “Light and Darkness” since the lyrics were written by him. I love all the songs and the favorite depends on the moment. Now it is “Jester” and “Revenge”.
What has been the most interesting concert experience you have had in the last year?
I believe that it is when people come to talk to us after concerts. Also, when someone wants to get some products after the presentation, it proves they liked the show and want a larger piece from us. And when we are on stage receiving all the warmth and affection and realizing that people are singing our songs together.
What do you hope to achieve as a band?
Conquer the world =D. Live comfortable and happy with our music, being more and more well-known as a band and making people happy with our songs.
What is next for Lyria? Will you share with us your plans for the next year?
A: Increasing the amount of concerts, being well known and creating our new songs. As soon as we have something concrete we will share with our fans.
To finish please say hello to your fans and Femme Metal Webzine‘s readers. Thanks for talking with us.
Hello! Thank you very much for reading this interview! If you want to know more about us you can find some links in the end of the page. Feel free to contact us! =)
Photos by Edney Suiter